You're Not The Only One
by Gope O'Quill
Summary: Ruby pays a yearly visit to an old friend.


It was a solemn day for the people of Remnant. They called it a holiday - classes were let out, workers got the day off - but there was nothing jolly about a dedication to remembering the fallen in the Great Defence of Vale; its name, too, was misleading - it was less of a defines and more a catastrophic, unexpected attack.

Some of those with losses in the battle, often from families of huntsmen, had a tendancy to disappear before the dawn, preferring to cope alone. Questions would be asked when they returned the next day, sometimes later - usually drunk off their asses - but they were rarely dignified with a response.

But when Ruby Rose was missing from her bed that morning, all her friends knew exactly where she had gone.

The grave was situated far from Beacon. Ruby had left the previous evening in order to even think about returning to her classes in a timely fashion. She slept on the airship ride over, the carrier empty enough for her not to be bothered.

It was mid-afternoon when she arrived at her final destination. The nice old man at the strange laboratory nearby prepared her a lunch for when she dropped by, as he had done for the last few years. Ruby always got the impression that he knew why she came and who she came for, despite having never mentioned it to him. Still, Ruby couldn't help but trust him, with his kindly, bearded face and amicable comments about reminding him of his own daughter.

Ruby stood in front of the grave, silently recalling the joyful days they had spent. Two redheads that lived in peace, two best friends long since seperated. Two lost souls, never to come face to face agai-

"Friend Ruby, is that you?"

Startled, Ruby spun around. "Penny? What are you doing here?"

Penny grinned and ran forward. "It _is_ you! Oh, I have missed you so, my friend!" She pulled Ruby into a bone-crushing hug, the warmth of the gesture contrasting with the coolness of her metal body. "Father suggested that I leave you be for today, but it has been so long since we last met! What brings you here, Ruby?"

Penny released her hold on Ruby, who took a moment to recover her breath before responding. "I-I'm... uh, well, first, how about you tell me why you're here? N-Not that I'm not happy to see you too, Penny, because I am, but, um... why?"

The girl simply smiled. "In preparation for the tournament, Father called me home to update my combat systems. I talked a lot about you, and about Weiss and Blake and Yang and everything we did in Vale, and today he said you passed by!" Tilting her head, Penny frowned. "But he also said that you might not be very happy right now; why is that, friend? And why have you come to this place? Is there a meaning to it?"

At that, Ruby turned her gaze downward. "...Penny, you always talk a lot about your dad, but do you... do you have a mom?"

"No, I do not," said Penny, confused. "Father created me on his own. My understanding is that having only one parent is not uncommon. You grew up with only your father as well, did you not?"

Ruby glanced at the rock by her feet. "Well. Dad didn't exactly make me on his own, you know."

"Oh yes, I know all about human reproduction! The process begins in the midst of sexual intercourse, when the male-"

"I know I _know_ , Penny, that's not what I meant! Stop!" Ruby clamped her hands over her ears.

"Of course! My apologies," Penny laughed. Her grin slid off her face as she considered their conversation. "But then... where was your mother? Where is she now?"

Ruby's eyes crinkled, a melancholic smile on her lips. "She's right here." She gestured to the engraved stone beside her.

Penny crouched in front of the grave. "Summer Rose..." she read. Ruby dropped down beside her.

"Mom, meet Penny." Ruby kept her gaze trained on the carved rose as she spoke, her voice soft and loving. "She's super nice and friendly, she's secretly a really cool robot with really cool swords, and she once stopped a truck from hitting me _with her bare hands_."

She turned to address the android. "Penny, this is my mom. I like to talk to her, sometimes." Her smile grew wider.

Penny hesitated only a moment before greeting the tombstone. "Salutations, Mrs. Rose!" she cheerfully exclaimed. "Based off of online sources and what your daughter has told me, I can infer that you must have been a wonderful person to be around!"

"Yeah, she was amazing!" Ruby laughed. "At least... I think she was. I don't remember much..."

The mood turned palpably somber. "...Ruby, I'm sorry for interrupting you," said Penny, standing up. "It was nice to see you again, friend, but-"

"No!" Ruby shot to her feet, grabbing Penny's arm. "It's fine, Penny. I'm fine."

She sighed. "I've... only really talked with Yang about this, and even then, it hurts for her, too... though not as much as it does Dad..." Ruby looked up, uncertainty in her silver eyes. "But now, she's not the only one I have. Now, I've got all these great, awesome friends, so I shouldn't have anything to be afraid of, right?"

"But... But what did have to be afraid go in the first place, friend?" queried Penny.

"Heh... nothing, I guess." Ruby shrugged. "So... let's start here. Penny, you mentioned online sources. Can you tell me what they said?"

Penny looked uncertain. "Well... they're mostly obituaries. They talk about what she did right before... before her death."

"That's fine," said Ruby, internally steeling herself for what she was going to do. "You tell me what they say, and I'll tell you what I remember."

"...If that's what you want, friend, then I am happy to oblige."

Penny gulped. "The Great Defence of Vale began with a large increase of Grimm near the city's walls, eleven year ago. Available hunters and huntresses were called from all over the country, some even trying to fly in from other nations."

"Both Mom and Dad couldn't go because they had two children to take care of. One of them had to stay." Ruby faced the forest, looking at something that wasn't there. Her grip on Penny's arm dropped. "I think it was right before she left when she told me she would be right back. That it would just be routine, that maybe she'd kill some cool Beowolves for me. She had to have been lying, just for me; even Yang knew how bad it was. That was when she gave me my cloak."

"There were more Grimm than anyone had ever seen before. The huntsmen that assembled thought they would not be enough."

"Patch was very peaceful. We never had to deal with any of that. Signal had a nearby forest for practicing on Grimm, but nothing ever came close to the city."

"The forces were lacking, and the Grimm neverending. Most struggled to keep their own quadrant defended, but one brave, generous huntress... cycled around the city, buying time for the main forces to recuperate; time that was desperately needed and heavily utilized."

"Mom always helped all of us with whatever we were doing - usually all at the same time. I think, once, I was playing a game against Yang, and she encouraged both sides - in the end it felt like we had all won together."

"...While running between stations, Summer Rose... disappeared."

Ruby was silent.

"When the Grimm had finally been pushed back, nearly two days later, Summer was among the nearly two hundred unaccounted for. Officially, all were deemed missing in action, but when they found her scythe..."

Ruby sniffled.

"The... The weapon was returned to her family, comprised of her two daughters, her husband, and his brother-in-law, who had fought alongside her, only to return alone. While the scythe's owner was no longer with them, its sharp edge saved countless lives, of both civilians and huntsmen alike."

"S-She saved all those people, but she didn't save herself," Ruby choked out amidst sobs. "She p-promised... She promised she'd come back..."

Penny enveloped Ruby in a gentle hug. "We do not remember the fallen for what they failed to do," she continued, making soothing motions along her weeping friend's back, "but for what they managed to accomplish. The Grimm were driven back, their numbers depleted for years afterward. Not a single civilian was harmed that day, nor a single casualty ever since.

"Ruby, it isn't like you to dwell on the past." Penny's voice grew concerned. "Don't cry. I am certain that your mother would not want to see you so saddened by her passing."

"I know," mumbled Ruby. "I've been over it for a while. It's just that, talking about it, hearing about it again..."

"That's not 'being over it,' friend. I believe that is called 'putting up a facade.' It is healthier to converse and let it all out, like we have done here."

"I... guess you're right." Ruby extracted herself from the embrace to look the android in the eyes. "I don't think this will be enough to fix everything, but... it'll help. Definitely. Thanks for everything, Penny."

"It was my pleasure, friend!" Penny straightened up and saluted. "Perhaps such an activity might be similarly enlightening to your teammates and friends at Beacon."

"Yeah, maybe! When I get back, I'll... When I... Oh no!" Ruby's eyes widened. "I need to go, like, right now, or I'll be late!"

She glanced at the tombstone, her panic replaced by temporary calm. "Guess we'll have to chat next time, Mom. I'll tell you all about the tournament!" Her head snapped back to Penny as she crouched down, preparing to sprint. "Bye, Penny! Thanks again for everything! I'll see you at the Vytal Festival!"

"Farewell, friend Ruby! Until we meet again!" cried Penny. Ruby was gone before the first word was finished, petals drifting along in the direction she had dashed.

Penny smiled, happy to have had yet another opportunity to assist her best friend in some way.

She hoped she'd remember them all forever.

* * *

 **One hundred percent not a cannon, nor a canon. It might be a fugue, though.**


End file.
